Watching TV From Back Home in Canada: A Guide for Newcomers

Why TV from home matters

Moving to a new country is a lot of change at once. Hearing the news in your own language, following your team, or watching the series the whole family grew up with makes a new place feel a little more like home. For children, it also keeps the language alive. The good news is that in Canada, all you need is a home internet connection and a TV.

Your three main options

Official apps are a good start, and some are free. The catch is that many broadcasters limit their apps to viewers inside their own country, so check whether the app works from Canada before you pay for it.

A satellite dish can carry many channels, but it needs a clear view of the sky in the right direction, an installation, and in an apartment, usually your landlord's permission.

IPTV brings live channels from several countries together with Canadian channels in one app, on the TV you already own. It is often the simplest option for families who want both home and Canadian TV.

What to ask before you pay

• Are my channels included? Ask about the exact channels and countries that matter to you. A good seller confirms them before you pay, and lets you test them.
• In which language? Some channels exist in more than one language version. If your home mixes languages, see our guide for bilingual households.
• Is there a TV guide for those channels? It is very useful when the schedule is in another time zone.
• How many screens? If parents and children want to watch different things at the same time, you need a plan for two or three screens. Our article on IPTV on several TVs explains how it works.

Plan around the time difference

Live TV from home follows home time, not Canadian time. A show at 9 p.m. in Paris starts at 3 p.m. in Montréal most of the year, and at noon in Vancouver. Evening news from home may play while you are at work, and a big match may fall in the middle of the night.

• Use the TV guide in your app and set the right time zone, so the times you see are local. Our article on the IPTV TV guide shows how.
• Check whether replays or catch-up are available for the shows you care about most.
• For series, on-demand libraries let you watch at your own hours.

Setting up internet in your new home

If you are choosing an internet plan for the first time in Canada, ask for one that fits your household: about 25 to 30 Mbps per screen watching in HD, and more if several people stream at once. Ask whether the plan has a monthly data limit, since streaming uses a lot of data. Place the router close to the main TV, or connect the TV with a cable.

Which devices work

You can usually keep it simple: a recent smart TV, or an affordable streaming stick plugged into any TV with an HDMI port. Phones, tablets and computers work too. You do not need to buy or rent a special box. See our setup guide for each device.

Avoid the common traps

Newcomers are sometimes targeted by sellers who promise "every channel in the world, for life". Be careful with lifetime offers, payment by gift card, and anyone who will not let you test first. Our article on IPTV scam red flags lists what to check.